Tough 23-9 loss to James Monroe ends Bruton's season

November 19, 2010|By Jack Lambert, CORRESPONDENT

YORK — — Bruton quarterback Elliot Rice was going to walk off the field with his head held high. With every muscle in his body fighting back tears, the four-year varsity player, the Bay Rivers Offensive Player of the Year and the Panthers' offensive leader made it to his friends and family still waiting in the stands after Bruton's 23-9 loss to James Monroe (9-2) in the Division 3 playoffs.

Then the tears came.

Who could explain how it happened? How Rice, the best offensive player around for most of the season, could throw two interceptions and fumble the ball twice in the loss? How James Monroe could pull away despite being outgained 201-137 by Bruton (8-3) in total offense?

"It was hard, something like that is always hard," Rice said. "We fought as hard as we could. The team made a lot of mistakes on offense. I had a large part in those. It's just hard knowing it was the last time."

The night seemed cursed right from the start for Rice, as the senior was intercepted on his very first pass. Facing first-and-10 from the Bruton 31-yard line, Rice rolled to his left and threw a floating pass into the waiting arms of James Monroe's Tyran Bates.

Bates returned the interception 37 yards to the Bruton three yard line. Running back Mike Lately would score on the very next play to give the Yellow Jackets a 7-0 lead with 7:27 remaining in the first quarter.

"I thought the effort was there, I thought the game plan was solid, I thought we played well on defense," Bruton coach Tracy Harrod said. "We just couldn't punch the ball in on offense and the turnovers killed us."

After an 18-yard field goal from Ben Arbino made the score 7-3, the teams traded defensive stops as James Monroe forced the Panthers to punt from their own 17-yard line. James Monroe's Kasine Conway fielded a low, line drive punt at the Bruton 44-yard line on the run before breaking the return out to the right sideline. Conway then sidestepped a pair of Panther's tacklers at the 10-yard line before walking into the end zone to make the score 10-3.

Bruton would turn the ball over twice in the first half, both of them coming at the hands of Rice. The first came on a shotgun snap when Rice, and most of the Panthers were not ready for the snap.

The Yellow Jackets kicked a 33-yard field goal after recovering the fumble to go ahead 13-3.

Then, with less than a minute remaining in the first half, Rice dropped back without seeing James Monroe's Nick Davis coming free off the left side. Before Rice could set his feet, Davis launched himself into the quarterback, throwing him to the turf and forcing a fumble which the Yellow Jacket's would eventually recover inside the Bruton 20-yard line.

James Monroe would tack on another field goal to take a 20-3 into the break.

"We just played a bad game offensively," Rice said. "Their defense is pretty good, but we played a bad game offensively."

Bruton scored on a 40-yard Brad Burks touchdown run to start the third quarter, but the Panthers would get no closer. Rice threw another interception in the second half, and Bruton was stopped twice in James Monroe territory on fourth down.

Still, despite the outcome of the night, Harrod wouldn't have changed a thing when it comes to his quarterback.

"Most definitely I'd give the ball to him again if I had the chance," Harrod said. "I let him do his thing like he has been doing all year. It just happens. It's one of those days."